The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to burn-in sockets suitable for the testing of integrated circuit ("IC") packages.
Conventional burn-in sockets typically include a plurality of terminals fitted in a corresponding plurality of terminal-receiving cavities. The terminals generally include a contact section for contacting leads from the IC packages, tail sections for electrically connecting to another electronic component, and resilient sections between the contact sections and tail sections for providing contact pressure to ensure a reliable electrical path through the terminal.
Most commonly, terminal-receiving cavities are rectangular and uni-directionally aligned. Although there are examples of such rectangular cavities having been aligned obliquely or being haphazardly unaligned, they are typically uniformly aligned parallel or perpendicular with respect to the sides of the socket housing.
Regardless of the alignment, however, it is generally desirable, due to the increased miniaturization of electrical components and the increased demand for higher speed and parallel pathways, to increase the density of terminals through the socket. Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a burn-in socket which permits an increased density of terminals per unit area in the socket body while maintaining sufficient strength to withstand the cycled stresses of repeated engagement and disengagement with IC packages being tested sequentially.
An additional factor relevant to the quality of sockets designed for burn-in testing of integrated circuit packages is the efficiency with which they can test such packages. Thus, it is important to ensure that integrated circuit packages inserted into burn-in sockets are properly aligned within the socket for testing. In particular, misaligned packages may provide faulty test readings as leads from the integrated circuit packages may not have reliable electrical pathways to the electrical testing component, such as a burn-in board. Conventional burn-in testing sockets which include apparatus for lowering an integrated circuit package into contact with the terminals thereof often have less than satisfactory means for assuring lateral position of the package and, thus, may produce unsatisfactory burn-in testing results and efficiency.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a burn-in socket capable of permitting the residence of terminals therein at an increased density without harming the physical strength and performance of the socket. It is another object of the present invention to assure that each terminal has reliable contact with an appropriate lead of an inserted integrated circuit package to provide more efficient burn-in testing of integrated circuit packages.